Before this I wrote a post on my blog saying how April 25 earthquake damaged the rana era palace I grew up. But the news of its damaged came as if the palace was not a Bal Mandir but all other office like NAFA art gallery, Sita Mahal or the Love Palace.
Sure, it surprised me. But now I really wonder when it will be reconstructed, it will be reconstructed under which name and who will take initiative to rebuild it ? Will they put money to save precious arts and NAFA Art gallery will get new face lift or Sita Mahal or love palace. Who will take initiative to reconstruct it ? Who will have to put money to prioritize.
Let me put it straight here, although NAFA art gallery have been in the Bal Mandir premises for very long time almost as long as Bal Mandir still its not the building of NAFA art Gallery. So, I doubt they will take initiation to rebuild it. Lover of the Rana ruler is long dead and Sita Tamang handed it over to the royals log time back - sorry no story behind it can be given but plain truth is, this is Bal Mandir. None of them come forward to rebuild it.
When I was in Bal Mandir, I did not know about how many rooms it has. All I knew is even after living in this place for 14 years, there may have been many rooms I have yet to enter. But, after I left Bal Mandir, I came to know about it, how many rooms it has. Somebody wanted to acquire Bal Mandir for its vast properties and wanted to use it as hotel, a five star hotel. What was the main attraction to those hotel investors ? it has 112 rooms. At that time I was fresh out from it so that really stunned me, thinking how they can think of replacing children to other places ? They had simple answer, anywhere. They don't need such big space to live. Because, only about 30 room are being used for children's home purpose and about 10 are for Nepal Children's Organisation Office, which looks after the management of Bal Mandir, as well as other children's homes across the nation.
About 18 - 20 people used to stay in one room. Do you feel sorry for us, thinking we were crammed like cattle in one room like that ? Well save it, don't even think like that. Rooms in Bal Mandir are very big, really big. Nepali middle class family or upper middle class family do not built home with that big room. People really have to be filthy rich to build home like that.
Okay, here I am making a mistake, a serious mistake. There should be no comparison between normal persons house with an aristocratic rana rulers palace. So I leave that topic now have space in their room like we had in Bal Mandir. Even after 20 girls in one room there is always enough space for many to roam around or play games. But, who needed to play games in rooms; when there is plenty of space when you go outside.
There is no doubt the reporter shy away to recognize it as Bal Mandir. May be he is bit show off to his readers that he belongs to some upper class society, who can find enough space in whole of Kathmandu in place like Bal Mandir only. Therefore, when a part of it collapsed he found all the names but rarely Bal Mandir. Undoubtedly, when it comes to rebuild it falls on the head of Nepal Children's Organisation, for Bal Mandir. This place must be reconstructed for the 140 children or more who stays there and then the other offices will be there once the children are safe there.
There is no doubt the reporter shy away to recognize it as Bal Mandir. May be he is bit show off to his readers that he belongs to some upper class society, who can find enough space in whole of Kathmandu in place like Bal Mandir only. Therefore, when a part of it collapsed he found all the names but rarely Bal Mandir. Undoubtedly, when it comes to rebuild it falls on the head of Nepal Children's Organisation, for Bal Mandir. This place must be reconstructed for the 140 children or more who stays there and then the other offices will be there once the children are safe there.
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